High operating temperature FPAs for lighter, lower power satellite surveillance in the infrared

The AFRL has pursued high temperature IR FPAs for three years. A 10 K increase has been obtained to date by thinning the HgCdTe base-layer. A contract has recently been let to DRS Infrared Technologies to further increase operating temperature by 15 K utilizing their gold doped High Density Vertically Integrated Photodiode (HDVIP/sup TM/) technology. The increased operating temperatures of these devices will reduce power, weight, and cost, as well as extend the lifetime of space surveillance satellites, satisfying a critical 21st century device technology need.